The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has reported the rescue of 19 girls who are believed to have been impregnated by the same man in Abuja.
This alarming update was shared by Binta Bello, Director-General of NAPTIP, during her meeting with Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chair of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), at the commission’s Abuja headquarters on Friday.
Bello thanked Dabiri-Erewa for NiDCOM’s assistance, particularly in the recent repatriation of 231 young Nigerians from Ghana.
She highlighted the critical need for collaborative efforts in the fight against human trafficking, calling for heightened public awareness at all levels.
“Last week, we managed to rescue 19 girls, all pregnant by one individual, from an estate in Abuja; we also received nine girls from Côte d’Ivoire, alongside other tragic cases,” she reported.
Bello commended NiDCOM for its engagement with the Nigerian diaspora and pledged to enhance the cooperation between NAPTIP and NiDCOM.
She assured that the agency would continue to uphold the rights and dignity of Nigerians in the face of trafficking.
Dabiri-Erewa urged for a united front from both government and society to address human trafficking in Nigeria.
While recognising the strides made, she insisted on the necessity for further action and recommended that traffickers be named and shamed to deter other criminals.
She reiterated that NAPTIP cannot succeed alone and called for strengthened collaboration with NiDCOM, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), and other related agencies.
“Our commitment remains to protect these young individuals and to encourage safe and lawful migration pathways,” she affirmed.
